Door securing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The combination of a door lock, including a door locking bolt and a bolt operating handle swingable to turn the bolt between locking and unlocking positions, and apparatus coupled to the handle to prevent unauthorized turning of the handle.

United States Patent [191 Racobs July 30, 1974 DOOR SECURING APPARATUS3,423,974 H1969 Buernsley 70/4l6 [76] Inventor: Charles R. Racobs, 644S. Park St., FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Sagmaw, Mlch- 43607 940,7186/1948 France 70/431 [22] Filed: 1 1972 917,095 9/1946 France 70/431[21] PP N05 311,279 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Wolfe Attorney, Agent, orFirm.iohn J. Swartz [52] US. Cl 70/416, 70/418, 70/431 [51] Int. ClE051) 13/08 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 70/211, 416, 418, 419, I 1

7O/429, 430, 431 447., 292/347 The combmation of a door lock, includinga door locking bolt and a bolt operating handle swingable to 56]References Cited turn the bolt between locking and unlocking positions,

and apparatus coupled to the handle to prevent unau- UNlTE-D STATESPATENTS thorized turning of the handle. 2,1 l5,278 4/1938 Peacock .L70/430 2,463,195 3/1949 Mungan 70/416 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures noonSECURING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates tosecurity devices and more particularly to apparatus for precluding theunauthorized turning of a bolt actuating handle on a door lock.

Houses are generally provided with doorways having an'inner door whichopens inwardly and a confronting outer door which opens outwardly toenable people to quickly and easily enter and leave the house. In a warmclimate, the outer door generally constitutes a screencovered door whichpermits the free flow of air to and from the house when the inner dooris ajar. Even though the screen-covered door is locked from the inside,it is relatively easy for a burglar to gain access to the house when theinner door is unlocked or ajar. A burglar need merely to slit thescreen, place his hand through the slit, and turn the bolt operatinghandle on the lock mounted inside the screen-covered door to unbolt thescreen-covered door so that it may be swung outwardly. Accordingly, itis an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which willdeter such unauthorized access to a building.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus whichwill selectively prevent the unauthorized turning of a bolt operatinghandle on a door lock.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a door handleretaining device which reacts between a door locking bolt, which isoperated by a handle, and the handle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a door handleretaining device including a rod-like member forming a loop whichreceives part of the bandle and another loop receiving a door lockingbolt,

when the bolt is in the extended, locking position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hoodoverlying the handle of a lock disposed on the inside of a door andmounting a key operable device for turning the handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Apparatus for preventing the turning of ahandle on a door lock, which includes a door-locking bolt, operated by ahandle, comprising: means reactable between the bolt and the handlemeansfor preventing the unauthorized turning of the handle.

Other objects and advantages of the present inven tion will becomeapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by the followingdescription when considered in I relation to the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a door handle securing device,constructed according to the present invention, mounted on a doormounted door lock;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of apparatus constructed according tothe present invention, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is .a sectional bottom plan' view, taken along the line 33 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front, perspective view of a lock handle restraining deviceconstructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of apparatus constructed according toa modified embodiment of the .present invention mounted on a door andoverlying a DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring in thefirst instance to FIGS. 1 4, a device constructed according to thepresent invention is particularly adapted for use with a conventionalscreen door, generally designated 10, swingably mounted on a doorcasing, generally designated 12, between a closed position, illustratedin FIG. 1, and an open position. The door 10 may include an openingcovered by a screen 11. The door casing 12 is provided with aboltreceiving notch or recess 15 for a purpose to become immediatelyapparent. A strike plate 15a surrounds the bolt receiving recess 15, asusual.

A door lock, generally designated 16, is mounted on the inside 10a ofthe door 10 and includes a housing 18, fixed to the door 10 by screws19, mounting a bolt 20 which is longitudinally movable between anextended or locking position, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, received inthe door casing recess 15, and a retracted position in which the bolt 20is removed from the recess 15, permitting the door 10 to be swung openin the direction represented by the arrow 0 (FIG. 3). The bolt 20 isnormally biased to the extended position by a spring (not shown)disposed interiorly of the housing 18. The housing 18 includes sidewalls 18a and 18b, an end wall 180 flush with the edge of the door, anopposite, curvilinear end wall 18d, and a top wall 18e.

The door lock 16 includes a key operated, tumbler set, generallydesignated 22, having a keyway on the outside 10b of the door 10 forreceiving a tumbler operating key 23. When the key 23 is turned, thetumbler 22 moves the bolt 20 from the extended to the retractedpositions, as usual.

The door lock 16 also includes a bolt-actuating handle, generallydesignated 24, connected to a stem 26 which is operatively connected tothe bolt 20 to longitudinally move the bolt 20 between its extended andretracted positions whenthe handle 24 is swung in either direction,represented by the arrows b and 0 (FIG. 1). The handle 24 includes acurvilinear end portion 25 which is inclined toward the door 10. Thelock may typically be a lock such as Yale Springbolt GW 3-36manufactured by Yale Lock & Hardware Division of Eaton, Yale & Towne,401 Theodore Fremd Avenue, Rye, NY. The bolt 20 includes an inclined endface 21 which engages the strike plate on the door casing 15 to forcethe bolt 20 to its retracted position when the door is being closed.

The handle restraining device for preventing the unauthorized turning ofthe handle 24 about the axis of the stem 26 is generally designated 30and comprises a continuous wire or rod 33 bent to form a large loop 31,converging toward the door in the position shown in FIG. 3, and definingan opening 39, and a smaller outwardly diverging loop 34 defining anopening35. The larger loop 31 includesrearwardly converging sideportions 32 extending along the sides 18a and 18b of i 3. which, inoperative position, underlies the bolt 20. The opening 35 in the smallerloop 34 receives the portion 25 of the handle 24. I

The handle restraining device 30 is installed on the lock 16 by firstlymoving the loop 34 over the handle portion 25 to the positionillustrated in chain lines at 30 (FIG. 3), and then swinging the device30 downwardly to the position illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 3. Asthe device 30 is being swung downwardly, the end wire portion 40 of thelarge loop 39 will engage the inclined face 21 on the bolt 20 and forceit to a withdrawn position. As soon as the wire portion 40 passes thebolt 20, the bolt 20 will be spring returned outwardly to the positionillustrated in FIG. 3. When the handle restraining device 30 is in thehandle restraining position, illustrated in FIG. 3, the side portions 32of the device 30 will be sprung slightly out of the plane of theretaining device 30 so that the end wire portion 40 will be urged intoengagement with the outside surface 21a of the bolt 20. When the device30 is installed in the position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle24 is locked in position and cannot be swung in the directionsrepresented by the arrows b and c to retract the door bolt 20. The endportions 38 and 40 engage the edge 180 of the housing to precludelongitudinal movement of the device 30 when it is installed asillustrated in FIGS. 1 3.

To remove the restraining device 30, the lock 22 is turned by the key 23to withdraw the bolt 20 and permit the wire portion 40 to be moved pastthe end of the bolt 20 to the bolt-releasing position, illustrated inchain lines in FIG. 4, and the door to be opened outwardly in thedirection of the arrow 0. When the arms 32 spring to the positionillustrated in chain lines permitting the device 30 to be removed, thehandle 24 is free to be turned.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7,

apparatus for preventing turning of the handle 24 is generallydesignated T and comprises a hood or cover, generally designated 50,having top and bottom walls 52 spanned by a side wall 54 and one endwall 56. The top and bottom walls 52 include integral, pin receivingmembers 57 having bores in alignment with aligned bores in pin receivingmembers 58 (FIG. 6) mounted on the inside 10a of the door 10 forreceiving locking pins 60 having enlarged heads 62. When the door 10 isopened, the cover may be readily, quickly removed by merely sliding thepins out of the bolt receiving members 57 and 58. When the door isclosed, the pins 60 are in endwise alignment (FIG. 7) with the doorcasing 12 to preclude their removal. Mounted on the side wall 54 of thehousing 50 is a tumbler lock assembly, generally designated 66 includingrotatable, internal, handle grasping portions 68 which receive the boltoperating handle 24. The tumbler lock assembly 66 includes a keyhole forreceiving a key 70 which, when turned about its axis, turns the handlegrasping portions 68 to turn the handle 24 about its axis.

The cover 50 is installed by placing it over the door lock 16, when thedoor 10 is open, so that the apertures in the pin receiving members 57and 58 are in alignment and inserting the pins 60 into the alignedopenings. The door 10 is then closed. In the event that the user needsto get outside, he 'merely inserts the key 70 in the tumbler 66 andturns it to turn the handle 24 which retracts the bolt 20 from therecess 15 and permits the door 10 to be swung open. If the user wants toenter the house from the outside, he merely turns the key 23 asdescribed hereinbefore to withdraw the bolt 20 so that the door 10 canbe swung open. In the event that a prowler cuts through the screen. 11on the door 10 and reaches inside the door 10, he will be unable tograsp the handle 24 to turn the bolt 20.

It is to be understood that the drawings and descriptive matter are inall cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of the principles ofthe invention, rather than as limiting the same in any way, since it iscontemplated that various changes may be made in various elements toachieve like results without departing from the spirit of the inventionor the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination:

a door lock for a door swingable between open and closed positionsincluding a longitudinally extending bolt longitudinally movable betweenan extended locking position to preclude swinging of said door and aretracted position permitting the door to be swung between said closedand open positions;

bolt operating means for moving said bolt between said extended andretracted positions;

manually operable bolt operating means, including a handle swingableabout an axis transverse to said longitudinal bolt, for moving said boltbetween said retracted and extended positions; and

means reactable between said bolt in said extended position and saidhandle for preventing the unauthorized turning of said handle about saidaxis including a first loop receiving said handle and a second loopreceiving said bolt in the extended position.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said preventing meansincludes springable means for biasing said cross member into engagementwith the side of said bolt.

3. In combination:

a. door lock for a door swingable between open and closed positionsincluding a longitudinally extending bolt longitudinally movable betweenan extended locking position to preclude swinging of said door and aretracted position permitting the door to be swung between said closedand open positions;

bolt operating means for moving said bolt between said extended andretracted positions,

manually operable bolt operating means, including a handle swingableabout an axis transverse to said longitudinal bolt, for moving said boltbetween said retracted and extended positions; and

means reactable between said bolt in said extended position and saidhandle for preventing the unauthorized turning of said handle about saidaxis including a first loop receiving said handle and a second loopreceiving said bolt in the extended position;

said lock means includes a housing, said preventing means includes awire-having elongate side portions extending along opposite sides of thehousing and spanned by an integral end portion engaging one side of saidbolt.

be opened and an extended position preventing the door from beingopened; and

manually operable, bolt operating means including elongate handle meanson one side of said bolt and swingable about an axis transverse to theaxis of said bolt for moving said bolt between said retracted andextended positions;

a locking device precluding said handle means from being turned aboutsaid axis including a resilient, slender rod including a first loopreceiving said handle means and a larger loop receiving said bolt andabutting said casing to preclude longitudinal shifting of saidfirst-mentioned loop.

1. In combination: a door lock for a door swingable between open andclosed positions including a longitudinally extending boltlongitudinally movable between an extended locking position to precludeswinging of said door and a retracted position permitting the door to beswung between said closed and open positions; bolt operating means formoving said bolt between said extended and retracted positions; manuallyoperable bolt operating means, including a handle swingable about anAxis transverse to said longitudinal bolt, for moving said bolt betweensaid retracted and extended positions; and means reactable between saidbolt in said extended position and said handle for preventing theunauthorized turning of said handle about said axis including a firstloop receiving said handle and a second loop receiving said bolt in theextended position.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein saidpreventing means includes springable means for biasing said cross memberinto engagement with the side of said bolt.
 3. In combination: a doorlock for a door swingable between open and closed positions including alongitudinally extending bolt longitudinally movable between an extendedlocking position to preclude swinging of said door and a retractedposition permitting the door to be swung between said closed and openpositions; bolt operating means for moving said bolt between saidextended and retracted positions; manually operable bolt operatingmeans, including a handle swingable about an axis transverse to saidlongitudinal bolt, for moving said bolt between said retracted andextended positions; and means reactable between said bolt in saidextended position and said handle for preventing the unauthorizedturning of said handle about said axis including a first loop receivingsaid handle and a second loop receiving said bolt in the extendedposition; said lock means includes a housing, said preventing meansincludes a wire having elongate side portions extending along oppositesides of the housing and spanned by an integral end portion engaging oneside of said bolt.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein saidhandle means includes an elongate section converging toward said boltand said first loop diverges away from said bolt.
 5. The combination setforth in claim 4 wherein said second loop includes a pair of sidemembers spanned by a cross member which engages said one side of saidbolt.
 6. In combination: a door lock adapted to be mounted on a doorincluding a lock casing; a bolt longitudinally movable in said casingbetween a retracted position permitting the door to be opened and anextended position preventing the door from being opened; and manuallyoperable, bolt operating means including elongate handle means on oneside of said bolt and swingable about an axis transverse to the axis ofsaid bolt for moving said bolt between said retracted and extendedpositions; a locking device precluding said handle means from beingturned about said axis including a resilient, slender rod including afirst loop receiving said handle means and a larger loop receiving saidbolt and abutting said casing to preclude longitudinal shifting of saidfirst-mentioned loop.